PhD Studentship : Unlocking the UK Pollen Record Reanalysis for Health Forecasting and Epidemiological Insight

Understanding pollen exposure in the UK is critical for addressing its health impacts, particularly in combination with air pollution, which contributes to a significant disease burden. This project will harness newly available high-resolution environmental datasets, including a UK-wide gridded reanalysis of air quality (2003–2019) and a complementary pollen reanalysis (2000–2025), developed by the UK Met Office under the stewardship of Co-I Lucy Neal. Together, these datasets offer an unparalleled opportunity to assess long-term exposure and its health implications.

The student will become an expert in using these reanalyses and will focus on applying them in public health contexts, especially in collaboration with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), with points of contact being Dr Emma Marczylo and Dr Alex Elliot. These analyses will support the development of exposure–response frameworks, help quantify the health burden of respiratory conditions, and assess the role of extreme events such as thunderstorm asthma.

With only 11 active regulatory-grade pollen monitoring sites in the UK, which equates to approximately one site per six million people, the new reanalysis provides essential (and previously unavailable) spatial and temporal coverage for health research. Early findings have already informed a study, involving CoI Lucy Neal, published in Allergy (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.16612), demonstrating the dataset’s potential.

The project will address pressing public health questions: around 20% of the UK population suffers from allergic rhinitis, and asthma costs the NHS over £1 billion annually in England and Wales. Despite this, routine pollen data remain limited in resolution and frequency, underscoring the need for retrospective datasets to support targeted health interventions and improve forecasting systems.

This PhD will be embedded in a vibrant interdisciplinary environment at the University of Birmingham, with training provided through the Birmingham Institute for Sustainability and Climate Action (BISCA) and the Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Science and AI. The student will work at the intersection of environmental science, data analysis, and health policy, delivering research of lasting value for science, forecasting, and public health.

For further information on this project and details of how to apply to it please visit https://centa.ac.uk/studentship/2026-b24-unlocking-the-uk-pollen-record-reanalysis-for-health-forecasting-and-epidemiological-insight/

Further information on how to apply for a CENTA studentship can be found on the CENTA website: https://centa.ac.uk/apply/

References:
This project is offered through the CENTA3 DLA, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). Funding covers: annual stipend, tuition fees (at home-fee level), Research Training Support Grant.

Academic requirements: at least a 2:1 at UK BSc level or a pass at UK MSc level or equivalent.

Further information: https://centa.ac.uk/apply/

International students are eligible for studentships to a maximum of 30% of the cohort. Funding does not cover any additional costs relating to moving or residing in the UK. International applicants must fulfil the University of Birmingham’s international student entry requirements, including English language.  Further information: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/pgt/requirements-pgt/international/index.aspx.

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